诺贝尔文学经典:《宠儿》第1章Part 4

When the last of the chamomile was gone, she went around to the front of the house, collecting hershoes and stockings on the way. As if to punish her further for her terrible memory, sitting on the porch not forty feet away was Paul D, the last of the Sweet Home men. And Although she she said, "Is that you?""What's left." He stood up and smiled. "How you been, girl, besides barefoot?"When she laughed it came out loose and young. "Messed up my legs back yonder. Chamomile."He made a face as though tasting a teaspoon of something bitter."I don't want to even hear 'bout ys did hate that stuff."
Sethe balled up her stockings and jammed them into her pocket. "Come on in.""Porch is fine, Sethe. Cool out here." He sat back down and looked at the meadow on the otherside of the road, knowing the eagerness he felt would be in his eyes.
"Eighteen years," she said softly.
"Eighteen," he repeated. "And I swear I been walking every one of em. Mind if I join you?" Henodded toward her feet and began unlacing his shoes.
"You want to soak them? Let me get you a basin of water." She moved closer to him to enter thehouse.
"No, uh uh. Can't baby feet. A whole lot more tramping they got to do yet."
"You can't leave right away, Paul D. You got to stay awhile.""Well, long enough to see Baby Suggs, anyway. Where is she?""Dead.""Aw no. When?""Eight years now. Almost nine.""Was it hard? I hope she didn't die hard."Sethe shook her head. "Soft as cream. Being alive was the hard part. Sorry you missed her that what you came by for?""That's some of what I came for. The rest is you. But if all the truth be known, I go anywhere thesedays. Anywhere they let me sit down.""You looking good.""Devil's confusion. He lets me look good long as I feel bad." He looked at her and the word "bad"took on another meaning.

最后一滴春黄菊汁洗掉，她绕到房子前面，一路上将鞋袜拾起来。好像是为了她糟糕的记忆而进一步惩罚她，在不到四十英尺远的门廊台阶上，赫然坐着保罗·D——"甜蜜之家"的最后一个男人。虽然她永远不可能把他的脸跟别人的搞混，她还是问道："那是你吗？" "还没死的那个。"他站起来，微笑道，"你过得怎么样，姑娘，除了脚还光着？" 她也笑了，笑得轻松而年轻。"在那边把腿弄脏了。春黄菊。" 他扮了个鬼脸，好像在尝一勺很苦的东西。"我听着都难受。从来都讨厌那玩意儿。"
塞丝团起袜子，塞进衣袋。"进来吧。" "门廊上挺好，塞丝。外边凉快。"他重新坐下，知道自己心中的热望会从眼里流露，便转头去望路另一侧的草地。
"十八年了。"她轻声说。
"十八年。"他重复道，"我敢发誓我每一年都在走。不介意我跟你搭伴吧？"他冲着她的脚点点头，开始解鞋带。
"想泡泡吗？我去给你端盆水。"她走近他，准备进屋。
"不，不用。不能宝贝脚丫子。它们还有好多路要走哩。"
"你不能马上就走，保罗·D。你得多待一会儿。" "好吧，反正得看看贝比·萨格斯。她在哪儿？""死了。""噢不。什么时候？""到现在八年。快九年了。""遭罪吗？但愿她死得不遭罪。"塞丝摇了摇头。"轻柔得像奶油似的。活着才遭罪呢。不过你没见到她真遗憾。是专为这个来的吗？""那是一部分原因。再有就是你。可说老实话，我如今什么地方都去。只要能让我坐下，哪儿都行。""你看起来挺好。""见鬼。只要我感觉坏，魔鬼就让我看起来好。"他看着她，"坏"这个词说的是另一个意思。